Wriddhiman Saha has shared a screenshot of a text message from a journalist who threatened him after the wicket-keeper denied to talk with him.
Saha has been in the news this month for various reasons. It was reported that he opted out of the Ranji Trophy 2022 because he had been told that he won’t be selected in the Test squad to face Sri Lanka.
Then on Saturday, chief selector Chetan Sharma announced the squad, where four senior players – Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, and Ishant Sharma – have been dropped from the Test squad.
Hours after Saha took to Twitter to reveal that a “respected” journalist had threatened him, saying “You did not call. Never again will I interview you. I don’t take insults kindly. And I will remember this.” Further adding “This wasn’t something ypu (you) should have done.”
Saha expressed his displeasure with these texts. “After all of my contributions to Indian cricket..this is what I face from a so called “Respected” journalist! This is where the journalism has gone,” he captioned his post.
After all of my contributions to Indian cricket..this is what I face from a so called “Respected” journalist! This is where the journalism has gone. pic.twitter.com/woVyq1sOZX
— Wriddhiman Saha (@Wriddhipops) February 19, 2022
Former India opener Virender Sehwag was one high-profile cricketer who came out lashing the “journalist” and lent his support to Saha.
“Extremely sad. Such sense of entitlement, neither is he respected nor a journalist, just chamchagiri. With you Wriddhi,” Sehwag tweeted.
Extremely sad. Such sense of entitlement, neither is he respected nor a journalist, just chamchagiri.
With you Wriddhi. https://t.co/A4z47oFtlD— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 20, 2022
Further, Saha also revealed a couple of conversations he had had with head coach Rahul Dravid and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly before he was dropped from the side. Saha had been given confusing hints from the top brass.
He revealed that Rahul Dravid had tacitly suggested the 37-year-old retires from Test cricket as he was going to be dropped.
“Yes, the team management told me that I would not be considered henceforth. I could not tell this so long as I was part of the India team setup. Even coach Rahul Dravid suggested that I think about taking retirement,” Saha was quoted as saying by Times Of India.
This suggestion from Dravid and his removal from the Test squad came as a surprise to Saha, who was earlier assured by Ganguly of his place in the squad after his brilliant innings in Kanpur against the Kiwis.
“When I hit an unbeaten 61 taking a painkiller in the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur last November, Dadi (as Sourav Ganguly was referred to by Bengal players) congratulated me over Whatsapp. He even mentioned that I should not worry about anything as long as he is at the helm of the BCCI. Such a message from the board President really boosted my confidence. But I failed to understand why everything changed so fast,” Saha further revealed.
Saha has been a back-up to Rishabh Pant since the Australia tour last year, featuring in only in 2 Tests – versus New Zealand – when Pant was rested. Saha’s returns with the bat have been underwhelming – just one fifty in his last 9 Tests spanning across four years – and with the presence of KS Bharat, the selectors decided to move on from the 37-year-old.
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